ANHALT, a Land of Germany, formerly a duchy and later a Free State. The former duchy was created in 1863 by amal gamation of two duchies, Anhalt-Dessau-Cothen and Anhalt Bernburg, and comprised all the Anhalt territories sundered in 1603. It now consists of two larger portions—eastern and western Anhalt, separated by part of Prussian Saxony—and of five en claves surrounded by Prussian territory, viz., Alsleben, Miih lingen, Dornburg, Godnitz and Tilkerode-Abberode. The eastern and larger portion of the State is low-lying, and occupies a sec tion of the sandy plains of the valley of the Elbe which crosses it from east to west, and portions of the tributary valleys of Mulde and Saale, flowing northwards. There is fertile loess land east of the Saale, but the State contains much pine forest and bog land, interspersed with rich pasture.
Western Anhalt is much smaller and its southern half forms part of the Harz range, reaching to nearly 2,000f t. in the south east. Of the whole surface, land under tillage amounts to about 6o%, meadowland to 7% and forest to 2 5 %. The chief crops are grain (especially wheat), fruit, vegetables, potatoes, beet, tobacco, flax, linseed and hops. The country is very rich in lignite, and salt works are abundant. The chief industrial products are sugar spirits, beer and chemicals, and there is commerce in corn, cattle, timber and wool. Coal (lignite), guano, oil and bricks are also exported. The trade of the country is furthered by its excellent roads, navigable rivers and railways. There is a chamber of commerce in Dessau. The area of Anhalt is 888sq.m. with a population of 364,371 in 1933. The country is divided into the districts of Dessau, Cothen, Zerbst, Bernburg and Ballenstedt. The chief towns are Dessau, the capital (78,634), Bernburg (38, 328), Cothen (26,695), Zerbst (2o,155) and Rosslau The inhabitants of the State are mainly Protestant, organized under the consistory in Dessau. The Roman Catholics are under the bishop of Paderborn. Since 1922 there has been an Assembly, with executive power in the hands of a Ministry of State, under the presidency of the prime minister, with whom are associated one or two other ministers.
History.—During the I Ith century most of Anhalt was included in the duchy of Saxony, and in the I2th century it came under the rule of Albert the Bear, margrave of Brandenburg. When Albert died in 117o, his son Bernard, who received the title of duke of Saxony in I I8o, became count of Anhalt. Bernard died in 1212, and Anhalt, separated from Saxony, passed to his son Henry, who in 1218 took the title of prince and was the real founder of the house of Anhalt. On Henry's death in 1252 his three sons partitioned the principality and founded respectively the lines of Aschersleben, Bernburg and Zerbst. Early in the 16th century, however, owing to the death or abdication of several princes, the family had become narrowed down to the two branches of Anhalt-Cothen and Anhalt-Dessau. These were united tem porarily in 157o, but Anhalt was divided again in 1603.
The family of Anhalt-Cothen became extinct in 1847, and Cothen was added to Anhalt-Dessau. In 1863, for the same rea son, Anhalt-Bernburg was united with Anhalt-Dessau.
Anhalt-Dessau had been divided in 1632, but was quickly re united; and in 1693 it came under the rule of Leopold I. (see